Research

Of carved giltwood and composition. Each surmounted by a circular mirror plate set inside a wreath above a shaped shelf with moulded rim, the open stems of three foliate scrolls with carved shell motif at the base, the stems on three downward scrolling legs with shaped feet.

This pair of dressing mirrors represents the revival of Rococo elements in nineteenth century English furniture design. The enthusiasm in England for French 18th century furniture was spurred after the French revolution, when pieces were made available for import. They were collected by the aristocracy and nobility, including the Duke of Wellington and the Prince Regent, who, as king, George IV, was heavily responsible for the popularization of the style.

Rococo Revival, as it was called, was based upon a combination of the Louis XIV, XV and XVI styles with English forms. Later, the reign of George’s brother, William IV, from 1830-37 served as an important transition period between Regency and Victorian styles, with furniture gradually becoming heavier in form.

The expressive mirror stands are decorated with foliate and shell decoration resonant of the rococo style that swept through Europe nearly a century earlier. However, the ornamental vocabulary of the Rococo is used without the asymmetry or spontaneity of design.